The National Association for Parents and Student Rights (NAPSR) has alleged that the private schools are harassing students in the name of online classes.
The President of the association, Arif Khan said that due to the lockdown offices, factories and other works are closed and thousands of people have lost their jobs. All educational institutes are also closed.
He said that the Uttarakhand Government had issued an order to the private schools on fee collections. Khan said that in view of this GO the private schools have started sending homework on the WhatApp and are taking online classes.
“Due to these online classes small children are forced to sit for five to six hours before mobile phones and later do homework by going offline. This routine is taking its toll on the mental and physical health of children.
Our association has taken advice of many health experts and all of them are unanimous that long online sessions are not good for eyes and neck muscles of the children. The schools are doing all this merely to collect fees from the parents and bypass the regulations,’’ he said.
Khan added that all private schools have 25 per cent students of poor parents who had taken admissions under Right to Education (RTE). He said that such parents are unable to purchase smart phone, laptops or computers for their wards. The online classes are hampering studies of such students which is infringement on their Right to Education.
On Monday, the association wrote separate letters to the Human Resource Development (HRD) minister and State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) to take immediate cognisance of the issue and demanded immediate ban on online classes.